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Presented at the NABS Annual meeting, Athens, Georgia, 2003
in Life Histories
Ecology and Life Cycle of Chironomus major Wülker and Butler (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Kentucky Lake, USA
P.B Balci and D.W White. Center for Reservoir Research, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071
Chironomus major is a large, showy chironomid (larval length up to 50 mm) that occurs sporadically in lakes and ponds throughout the eastern U.S. C. major is the dominant chironomid in Kentucky Lake in western shoreline depositional zones 6-10 m deep with densities of about 50/m3. It is generally found in silty-clays with < 1% organic carbon in association with populations of Hexagenia limbata and Sphaerium striatinum . Adult emergence begins in early October (water temp 22 °C) and peaks about the first week in November. Mean larval dry weights are 0.002, 0.76, 2.98, and 4.98 mg for first, second, third, and fourth instars. Mean head capsule widths are 0.13, 0.55, 0.78 and 1.03 mm for first, second, third, and fourth instars. The life cycle appears to be univoltine, and data from regular monitoring is being used to determine secondary production.
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